b'ILLINOIS SUPREME COURT COMMISSION Welcome to TOJUSTICE Whats Next EDUCATION. SUPPORT. EMPOWERMENT. OUR LEGAL SYSTEMwas originally designedtrial, post judgment activities, and a myriad of with the assumption that people would beother steps in betweenall designed for people represented by lawyers. Yet, increasingly, peoplewith lawyers. As a result, the person who appears without lawyers regularly appear in court.in court is often lost, confused, angry, and alone, For a variety of reasons, not everyone who isand the judge and opposing counsel are limited in filing claims for common issues like divorce,the help they can provide. When they share their guardianship, and orders of protection orfrustrating experiences with friends and family, defending themselves against debt collection,distrust of the court system grows.eviction, and mortgage foreclosure is able to access a lawyer.The Commission on Access to Justice (ATJ Commission) and the Access to Justice Division This creates challenges for theof the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts legal system and the broader(ATJ Division) strive to help members of our principle of equal access to justice.community identify their legal issues, provide them with resources, information, and assistance Without a lawyer, a person may not evento navigate the courtsincluding referrals to recognize that they have a legal issue. If thisappropriate legal assistance whenever possiblehurdle can be cleared and a person turns to theand help them gain an understanding of court court system or is subject to a lawsuit, they areprocesses. The ATJ Commission also seeks to often left to navigate the drafting of a complaintassist judges, clerks, and court staff in providing or answer on their own. They face the dauntingmeaningful access to justice for everyonetasks of achieving service of process, answeringin Illinois. interrogatories, securing witnesses through subpoenas, dealing with dispositive motions, aStrategic Plan 2023-2028|2'